The present invention relates to a submergible water activity platform for attachment to an associated structure to provide a platform for getting into the water from the associated structure and getting out of the water onto the associated structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable submerged activity platform that can be moved to a desired position to accommodate a desired water depth or changes in water level.
Swimming facilities, whether in pools, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans, often provide ladders for people to enter and exit deep water. These ladders may be attached to the end of docks, piers, or even free-floating platforms anchored in the middle of a lake. These ladders are usually slippery and require a person to exert substantial strength to pull their body out of the water and onto the ladder. Persons who have trouble using ladders, including the handicapped, elderly, and even small children are effectively banned from participating in recreational water activities associated with deep-water facilities. The ladder also fails to provide any underwater support that extends safely away from the dock or pier on which a person can rest or even participate in deep water recreational activities. People, as well as animals, specifically certain breeds of dogs, enjoy jumping and swimming from docks and other water facility structures, but often are in danger of drowning when they cannot climb back on the dock or find a place to rest and are too tired to swim a long distance to shore. Therefore, a need exists for a device that can facilitate the entry and exit of persons and animals to and from an above water structure to the water and that provides underwater support for persons engaged in the recreational water activities in deep water onto which the person can swim without having to pull their body up out of the water.
As shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,762, a safety ladder is secured to a pylon of a dock, pier or other floating structure on a body of water that can be used for ingress and egress of a boat or the water to the dock. However, the ladder fails to provide any support that extends under the water away from the dock to provide a stable support platform for persons engaged in recreational water activities. Additionally, such a ladder is extremely difficult for handicapped or disabled persons to use in entering or exiting from deeper water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,465 discloses a retractable walk-in swimming pool ladder designed specifically for use with swimming pools. As with the above-noted patent, the retractable ladder fails to provide any support means extending under the water for persons to engaged in recreational water activities and simply provides an access between the pool deck and the water. The individual must still pull his body up out of the water to walk up the steps of the ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,703 discloses a swimming pool wading platform for use by small children. The platform is designed to allow children to enjoy water activities without the danger of entering deeper water over their heads that presents of drowning hazard. No access way is provided for entering the platform from an above water structure, and once on the platform you are limited to the platform area by a netting that would prevent persons from enter the platform from the water. Therefore, there is a need for a device that will permit easy and safe entry and egress for people and animals to participate in deep-water recreational activities in pools, rivers, lakes, ponds and oceans, while also providing a submerged support structure that allows people to swim directly onto the structure for support without having to pull their body up out of the water.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water activity assembly that provides convenient access between an associated above water structure and a body of water to allow persons to move easily between the water and the above water structure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a submerged activity platform extending safely away from the associated above water structure that allows persons to swim directly onto and off of the platform for support in the water while engaged in recreational water activities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a submerged activity platform for simultaneously supporting multiple people engaged in recreational water activities.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a submergible water activity assembly for use with an associated structure on a body of water to provide access from the associated structure to an activity platform for water activities. The assembly includes an activity platform for being submerged in the water to support persons engaged in water activities, which allows a person to swim directly onto or off of the activity platform without having to pull his body up out of the water. The activity platform includes a platform area that extends outwardly from and alongside the associated structure when attached to the associated structure. A support structure is carried by the activity platform for mounting the activity platform to the associated structure so that the activity platform is located at a desired depth in the water when mounted to the associated structure. A walkway is included in the assembly for providing access between the associated structure and the activity platform when the activity platform is submerged. The activity platform includes a water activity section free of the walkway in which water activities may take place. In the preferred embodiment, the activity platform also includes a plurality of water flow passages formed in the activity platform for allowing water to flow through the activity platform when submerged to reduce the force of water currents against the activity platform.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the activity platform includes a plurality of elongated decking members with water flow passages defined by narrow passages formed between adjacent decking members, which allow water to flow through the activity platform when submerged.
The activity platform preferably includes a landing section disposed at a base of the walkway adjacent to the water activity section for allowing a person to walk onto the activity platform from the walkway and enter the water activity section of the activity platform to engage in water recreation activities.
Advantageously, in the preferred embodiment, the support structure includes a first side frame carried on a first side of the activity platform, and a second side frame carried on a second side of the activity platform. The first and second side frames support the activity platform when mounted to the associated structure and submerged in the water.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the support structure of the activity platform includes an adjusting mechanism for vertically moving the activity platform to adjusting the depth of the activity platform in the water to accommodate a desired water depth for the platform or to accommodate changes in water levels on the body of water. Preferably, the adjusting mechanism includes a guide member affixed to the associated structure and a vertical frame leg carried by the activity platform. The guide member and the vertical frame leg are connected together for relative vertical movement so that the vertical position of the platform can be adjusted to a desired depth in the water. The guide member includes an adjusting element for setting the vertical frame leg at a desired position. In order to set the vertical frame leg at the desire position, the adjusting element is received by a complementary receiving element of the vertical frame leg, which holds the activity platform at a set position when submerged in the water.
In order to help secure the assembly to the associated structure, preferably, the support structure includes a retaining bracket, having a vertical leg for engaging a bottom edge portion of the associated structure to help prevent the activity platform from separating from the side of the associated structure. In the preferred embodiment, the support structure also includes a brace arm extending rearwardly along, and affixed to, the upper surface of the associated structure for resisting torque applied to the activity platform by the water or the weight of persons standing on the activity platform.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the walkway is defined by a floating ramp having a first end pivotally carried by the guide member at a fixed position, and a second end freely resting on the activity platform so that the walkway maintains contact with the activity platform as the platform is moved vertically to the desired depth in the water. A railing is carried by the ramp to help support people moving up and down the ramp to the activity platform.
Additionally, the preferred embodiment includes flotation members carried by the activity platform for providing buoyancy to offset the weight of the assembly in the water, as well as the weight of persons engaged in water activities on the platform. Accordingly, a submergible activity platform is provided that promotes ease of access to the water from the associated structure for water activities.